The British 50th Division was a first-line Territorial Force

Territorial Force

The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...

 division

Division (military)

A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...

. The division was sent to France in April 1915 and served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War. The division suffered heavily during the Second Battle of the Aisne

Second Battle of the Aisne

The Second Battle of the Aisne , was the massive main assault of the French military's Nivelle Offensive or Chemin des Dames Offensive in 1917 during World War I....

 in May–June 1918 and underwent a reorganisation in July 1918.

For the division's formation and operations in World War II, see British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division

British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division

The 50th Infantry Division was a 1st Line Territorial Army division during the Second World War. The two Ts in its insignia represent the two boundaries to its recruitment area, the rivers Tyne and Tees...

.

Formation

Under the Army reforms of 1908, the Territorial Army was formed and organised into regional Divisions, area Brigades and local Battalions. There were 14 Territorial Divisions when war broke out in 1914. A Division (Divn) was in effect a self-contained army of approximately 18000 men including infantry, cavalry, artillery, engineer, medical, supply and signal units. The Northumberland Divn was typical, consisting of three infantry brigades (Bde), namely the 'Northumbrian', 'York and Durham' and 'Durham Light Infantry (DLI)' Bdes. Each Bde was composed of four infantry battalions (Bn). The Northumbrian Infantry Bde was composed of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Bns of the Northumberland Fusiliers.

Northumbrian (Territorial) Division
HQ - Richmond (Yorkshire)
GOC - Major General B. Burton
1914
Infantry composed of 12 battalions organised into 3 Brigades:

149th (Northumberland) Brigade

Until July 1918:

• 1/4th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (to 150 Bde)
• 1/5th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
• 1/6th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
• 1/7th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (transferred to 42nd Division
  42nd (East Lancashire) Division
  The 42nd Division was a Territorial Force division of the British Army. Originally called the East Lancashire Division, it was redesignated as the 42nd Division on 25 May 1915. It was the first Territorial division to be sent overseas during the First World War. The division fought at Gallipoli,...
  
   as a Pioneer Battalion, February 1918)
• 1/5th (Cumberland) Battalion, The Border Regiment (from May 1915 to 151 Bde December 1915)

From July 1918:

• 3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
• 13th (Scottish Horse Yeomanry) Battalion, Black Watch
  Black Watch
  The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
  
  

150th (York and Durham) Brigade

Until July 1918:

• 1/4th Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment
• 1/4th Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)
• 1/5th Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)
• 1/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
  Durham Light Infantry
  The Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...
  
   (to 151 Bde February 1918)

From July 1918:

• 1/4th Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment (until August 1918)
• 1/4th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (from 149 Bde)
• 1/7th (Service) Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment
• 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers
  Royal Munster Fusiliers
  The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army. One of eight Irish regiments raised largely in Ireland, it had its home depot in Tralee. It was originally formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of two regiments of the former East India Company. It served in India and...
  
  

151st (Durham Light Infantry) Brigade

Until February 1918:

• 1/6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
• 1/7th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (to pioneers November 1915)
• 1/8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
• 1/9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
• 1/5th (Cumberland) Battalion, The Border Regiment (from 149 Bde December 1915)
• 1/5th Battalion, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (from June 1915 until December 1915)

From February to July 1918:

• 1/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (from 150 Bde February 1918 until July 1918)

From July 1918:

• 6th (Service) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
  Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
  The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was a Irish infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th Regiment of Foot and the 108th Regiment of Foot...
  
  
• 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
  King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
  The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. The regiment's traditions and history are now maintained by The Rifles.-The 51st Foot:...
  
  
• 4th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
  King's Royal Rifle Corps
  The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
  
  

Cavalry

Consisting only of 'A' Sqn from the Yorkshire Mounted Bde.
'A' Squadron Yorkshire Hussars

Yorkshire Hussars

The Yorkshire Hussars was a unit of the British Army from 1794 to 1956.The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was converted to an armoured role during World War II. In 1956 it merged with two other Yorkshire yeomanry regiments to form the...

Engineers

Composed of the 1st and 2nd Northumbrian Field Coys and 50th Division Signal Company (Royal Engineers):

• 1st Northumbrian Field Company. HQ - Newcastle
• 2nd Northumbrian Field Company. HQ - Newcastle

Artillery

Composed of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Northumbrian Bdes (Royal Field Artillery) and the Northumbrian Heavy Battery (Royal Garrison Artillery).

Royal Field Artillery

• 1st Northumbrian Bde was composed of:
  • 1st Northumberland Battery
  • 2nd Northumberland Battery
  • 3rd Northumberland Battery

The 1st Northumbrian Ammunition Column. HQ - Newcastle

• 2nd Northumbrian Bde was composed of:
  • 1st East Riding Battery
  • 2nd East Riding Battery
  • 3rd East Riding Battery

The 2nd Northumbrian Ammunition Column. HQ - Hull

• 3rd Northumbrian (County of Durham) Bde was composed of:
  • 1st Durham Battery. HQ - Seaham Harbour
  • 2nd Durham Battery. HQ - Durham
  • 3rd Durham Battery. HQ - West Hartlepool

The 3rd Northumbrian (County of Durham) Ammunition Column. HQ - Seaham Harbour

• 4th Northumbrian (County of Durham) Howitzer Bde was composed of:
  • 4th Durham (Howitzer) Battery. HQ - South Shields
  • 5th Durham (Howitzer) Battery. HQ - Hebburn on Tyne

The 4th Northumbran (County of Durham) Ammunition Column. HQ - South Shields
Royal Garrison Artillery
Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Bty. HQ - Middlesbrough

Transport & Supply

was composed of the 50th Divisional Train (Army Service Corps):

• 50th Divisional Train was composed of 467, 468, 469 and 470 Coys:
  • 467 Company. HQ - Gateshead
  • 468 Company. HQ - Newcastle
  • 469 Company. HQ - Hull
  • 470 Company. HQ - Sunderland

Joined by 336 (Motor Transport) Company

Medical

• 1st Northumbrian Field Ambulance. HQ - Newcastle
• 2nd Northumbrian Field Ambulance. HQ - Darlington
• 3rd Northumbrian Field Ambulance. HQ - Hull

Battles

• Second Battle of Ypres
  Second Battle of Ypres
  The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
  
  
• Battle of the Somme (1916)
  Battle of the Somme (1916)
  The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
  
  
  • Battle of Flers-Courcelette
    Battle of Flers-Courcelette
    The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, was a battle within the Franco-British Somme Offensive which took place in the summer and autumn of 1916. Launched on the 15th of September 1916 the battle went on for one week. Flers-Courcelette began with the overall objective of cutting a hole in the German...
    
    
  • Battle of Morval
    Battle of Morval
    The Battle of Morval, which began on 25 September 1916, was an attack by the British Fourth Army on the German-held villages of Morval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs during the Battle of the Somme. These villages were originally objectives of the major British offensive of 15 September, the Battle of...
    
    
  • Battle of Le Transloy
    Battle of Le Transloy
    The Battle of Le Transloy was the final offensive mounted by the British Fourth Army during the 1916 Battle of the Somme.-Prelude:With the successful conclusion of the preceding Battle of Morval at the end of September, the Fourth Army of Lieutenant General Henry Rawlinson had finally captured the...
    
    
• Battle of Arras
  Battle of Arras
  The name Battle of Arras refers to a number of battles which took place near the town of Arras in Artois, France:*Battle of Arras , a clash between the French and the Spanish...
  
  
• Third Battle of Ypres
  • Second Battle of Passchendaele

External links

• The British Army in the Great War: The 50th (Northumbrian) Division
• http://www.4thbnnf.com/03_organisation.html